We visited the Marina Del Rey event that displayed the winners of the San Francisco World Spirits Competition, held at Paiche Restaurant.
Winners included:
Importer of the Year - Pernod Ricard USA, New York
The Tasting Panel Magazine Distillery of the Year - Suntory Ltd. Japan
Director's Award - William Grant and Sons, New York
Some brands have enjoyed truly long longevity.  As a wee lad we recall seeing bottles of James E. Pepper around our house on a fairly regular basis.  Evidently it was one of my Dad's favorite bourbons.  Anyway it won a Double Gold award in this year's S.F. competition for Pepper's 100 proof Straight Bourbon.
Another long established brand, Bushmills, won awards for two of its Malt Irish Whiskeys.
 A scotch we favored for many years, Dewar's, also won a Double Gold award.
The list of winners was long and we marveled on how the judges could have tasted their way through so many spirits of all kinds.  Our hat is off to them in admiration.